Work on the new entrance to link the Bank of Ireland Car park, situated on Emmett Street, Thurles, with the adjacent new Thurles Slievenamon Road car park; latter opened back in 2020 on the south side of Liberty Square, has now finally begun.
Pic: G. Willoughby.
The work was originally scheduled to begin in the third quarter of this year, subject to funding being made available.
We understand that the work will include the removal of the Bank of Ireland’s current car park entrance wing walls, leading on to Emmett Street and the provision of a new setback boundary wall. Same will then see the removal of the old stone wall, between the bank and the Slievenamon Road car park, with the provision of footpaths, public lighting, signage, resurfacing and lining.
With little information being made available to the public, it is difficult to picture or indeed understand how off-street parking in the town will be anyway improved by this new measure. One problem it will not solve is the major traffic congestion in the centre of Thurles town.
However, the removal of the stone wall between both car parks granting a second exit (see background of image above), should assist vehicles to exit and enter this area more freely, especially those shopping in the British multinational retailer Tesco and the parking of vehicles for those attendees, visiting loved ones reposing at Hugh Ryan’s Funeral Home.
Details of costings in relations to this work has not been shared publicly with taxpayers, as yet.
This new venture will reduce car parking in bank for patrons.This new park off the Slievenamon Road is a complete waste of time as it is always full, In from square out unto mall.